Richard Smiles sets out to post Ibo war Nigeria, with a burning ambition and a crusading spirit to help in the rebuilding of his company in Nigeria. He brings with him a young family totally unprepared for the trials ahead. The comic and sometimes poignant cultural clashes speed Smiles' development of his sense of realism. Smiles the crusader turns into Smiles the pragmatic, ambition conquers all; except of course Smiles' asinine pomposity.